The Trouble with Never
by WorkingTitle30
Summary: Post 2.15, Chuck and Blair agree to work together as they reverse roles. It's simple, he needs to repair his image for the board, and she wants to abandon her up-tight reputation; but, when the bets are raised, they risk losing their shirts & their hearts
1. Fools In Love

"_Carol: Have you ever let a romantic moment _

_make you do something that you knew was stupid?_

_Melvin: Never."_

_---As Good As It Gets_

Blair Waldorf had given up, surrendered, for what felt like the first time in her eighteen years on the Upper East Side. She was tired: tired of being the stupid girl who didn't get it. All her life she'd dreamed about perfect love, but so far she was 0 for 3. Nate couldn't love her, not the way she needed to be loved. Marcus couldn't be faithful to her, well, that had been the least of his shortcomings, she surmised. And then there had been Chuck. One would think after striking out with two Prince Charmings, happiness with the unseemly villain would be assured. Alas, she had failed in her attempts at redemption; they both had. So, swearing off men seemed like the ultimate solution.

What did she need a man for anyway? She was intelligent, (it was only a matter of time before she got her acceptance letter from Yale), well off (what Eleanor Waldorf lacked in maternal instincts she made up for in overindulgence), fabulously fashionable (in the classy-timeless-Audrey way), and well, there wasn't a soul in all of New York City so utterly devious.

Alright, so there was one, but he certainly had his hands full at the moment. Winning back the trust and support of his father's board was going to be no easy task after the stunt he had pulled in Bart's office. Damn it, there she went again. Thinking about that Chuck Basstard. Blair glanced down at her slim Cartier watch; 12 minutes without thinking about him, she was getting better. Still, when you couldn't go for more than a quarter of an hour without conjuring images of your ex-whatever-in-the-hell-he-was, it was time to phone the best friend.

Reaching across her bed for her cell phone, she quickly hit speed dial two. Originally, Nate had been number one, and then during that whole Georgina episode, Serena's flighty behavior had booted her from the top spot in favor of...she was going to have to change that. After a few rings and a burst of giggles, a bubbly voice picked up the line.

"Hello?" Serena answered, and Blair could hear her whisper to someone and then the sound of a lingering kiss.

"Ugh" Blair groaned, "Please tell me Brooklyn is exiting rather than entering".

"He just left" the blonde assured, "What's up?"

"I'm feeling a little…" Listless. Lonely. Lost. She didn't want to use any of the adjectives that came to mind. Luckily her best friend knew her well enough to sense what Blair had trouble voicing.

"Wanna come over? I'm sure your place feels empty with your Mom and Cyrus visiting his parent's in Connecticut. We can dance it out." Serena was making reference to Grey's Anatomy. When both girls had caught a nasty case of senioritis last semester they had rented a suite at the palace and holed-up to watch endless reruns.

"Sound perfect," Blair smiled, grabbing her Fendi clutch and slipping on her Michael Kors flats. "I'm on my way".

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

As she rode the elevator to the Van der Woodsen penthouse, Blair was examining her meticulous cuticles rather than watching the stainless steel doors. Had she not been previously occupied, she might have been able to prepare a more glamorous entrance than the one that occurred. When the doors slid open to reveal her destination, she looked up into the tired eyes of one, Charles Bartholomew Bass, and promptly yelped. What was he doing here? Didn't he know she was trying to avoid him?

His eyes seemed to brighten a little at her entrance, and there was a faint trace of his signature smirk at her response. He hadn't seen her for a week, since their last encounter in an elevator. If he weren't feeling so forlorn he might have been able to appreciate the irony. Instead, his eyes ran from her feet up, it was habit; he'd been appreciating the bouquet that was Blair Waldorf ever since he could remember. She was lovely as ever in a simple black skirt and a cream blouse. The constant ache in his heart throbbed at the sight of her.

"Waldorf".

"I…um…what?" She shook her head from side to side slightly trying to clear it. Her eyes were suddenly skeptical.

He raised his eyebrows at her, puzzled, and waited for her to continue.

"Here…why?" She narrowed her eyebrows accusingly. God, she couldn't think. Let alone speak in full sentences. It was a hell of a lot easier to swear off men alone in her bedroom. Put her within three hundred feet of Chuck Bass and she turned to mush. 'Get it together', she told herself. 'Don't let him see you sweat'. She pulled her shoulders back and pinched her mouth into a thin line.

"Lilly and I have come to a sort of, arrangement", he started. "She invited me to move back in. I was just unloading the last of my luggage, actually, when you showed up".

"She did?" Serena questioned, leaning against the doorframe to the entranceway. She had wandered out to the foyer after hearing Blair's shriek.

"She did" Lilly Van der Woodsen answered, having come in from the dinning room. "Dinner will be served shortly. Blair, I hope you'll join us".

"Sure, thanks" Blair smiled lightly as she followed her best friend back to her room, but not before giving Chuck a warning look that clearly stated her annoyance at his presence.

"And Chuck, you'll be staying as well?" Lilly inquired

"Wouldn't miss it." he responded, mirroring Blair's uneasy smile as he hefted the last of his bags toward his old room.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Its almost funny" Blair lamented. "I mean I come here to avoid thinking about him and then…here he is" she let out a little hysterical burst of laughter. "_Serena_!" she whined stamping her foot.

"Don't worry, B". Serena placated her overdramatic friend. "We can still have our girl's night. We'll turn the music up so loud, you wont even know he's here." The tall blonde wandered over to her expensive stereo, clicked the play button, and cranked up the volume. Mika's _Lollipop_ pounded out of the speakers as Serena shimmed over to the bed and pulled the resistant Blair up onto her feet. Blair couldn't help but lose herself in the giddy music's beat and soon, the two girls cackled gleefully and danced with their arms thrown up over their heads.

Lilly had asked Chuck to summon the girls for dinner, but no one had answered when he'd knocked on Serena's closed door. He supposed they couldn't hear him over the blaring music. He nudged the door open to reveal a tantalizing sight.

Blair Waldorf in blissful abandon. He watched as her slim hips swayed with the music, her espresso curls rippling down her back. He sucked in a ragged breath when her movements caused her top to rise up, revealing inches of pale, taut stomach. He had brought his hands up to cover his eyes and just as the song changed, plunging the room into silence, sighed loudly.

Both girls turned to look at him; Serena's breath caught mid-giggle while Blair's smile ebbed as she hastily tugged down her top.

"Dinner's ready" he offered, turning to go before things could get anymore uncomfortable.

Blair shot Serena another pleading look and the blonde exhaled in response. Pausing to turn of the sound system, she reached for Blair's hand to drag her out of the room.

"Come on, let's go eat".

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Well, this is awkward" Eric Van der Woodsen mumbled as he cut into his steak.

Dinner had gotten off to a rocky start when the seating arrangements were revealed. Blair had skipped off to the powder room after exiting Serena's bedroom and by the time she entered the dining room everyone else had already taken his or her seat. The petite brunette let one foot linger on the bottom of the staircase as she surveyed the scene before her, meeting the gaze of Chuck Bass, who had chosen this moment to lift his eyes from his salad plate. There was only one seat left, across from Serena and next to Chuck. Blair breathed out lightly through her nose while Chuck eyed her to see if she would protest. When she didn't, he stood politely to pull out her chair. She sat, and from that point forward there had been no sound but for the scraping of silver on china.

"Eric!" Lilly exclaimed. "Don't be rude".

"Everyone's thinking it. I'm just saying it" Eric defended himself.

"He's got a point". Chuck said, lifting his glass of ice water to take a sip.

"Well, be that as it may. Perhaps we could steer the conversation in a more…appropriate direction". Lilly questioned as she whipped daintily at her mouth. "Blair, I haven't had the chance to see you in a while. What have you been up to? I heard you were interviewing with the Colony Club. They're a very prestigious group".

Blair looked up from dinner and smiled at Lilly. She really did like the older woman, and no one could fault Lilly's manners. It wasn't the eldest Van der Woodson's fault that Chuck was there to ruin a perfectly lovely meal with his stupid sexy smell and silky voice. Lilly couldn't help that his proximity was making Blair's heart skip irregularly and her cheeks fill with heat.

So, Blair bit her bottom lip and began sweetly, "Yes, that is true". She paused to reach for a roll in the basket in front of her. "It is too bad they turned out to be a bunch of over-stuffed poodles." Lilly looked surprised at Blair's response, but equally entertained as well. Serena's mother had always appreciated Blair's spirit, which had seemed dampened of late. Blair, as it turned out, was just getting started. "In fact, meeting with those Stepfords helped me realize that I was searching in the wrong place for happiness. Who wants to be friends with the kind of people who won't let you forget your mistakes, who will stand as constant reminders of your failures and bad choices?" Lilly guessed that the topic had digressed slightly, but she didn't interrupt. Blair was quickly gathering speed and taking out her frustration on the roll in her hands by ripping it to pieces as she punctuated her thoughts. She was so sick of working to maintain her pristine image. "Just because you make a few ill-advised decisions doesn't mean you're a bad person. It doesn't mean that you can't change. In fact, from this point forward, I plan on taking a much more independent stance, cutting out all of the unhealthy people in my life and focusing more on my goals" she finished by taking a ravenous bite of her roll.

Every single pair of eyes at the table was trained on Blair Waldorf as she finished her matter-of-fact speech concerning her future plans; their looks ranged from shock (Lilly), to admiration (Serena), to amusement (Eric), and finally, to intrigue (Chuck).

Lilly, after chocking a bit on her white wine, coughed to clear her throat and then responded by saying, "I see. That sounds…" she searched for the right word and made a waving gesture with her hand, "…reasonable…good for you!"

"When you say 'cut' people out of your life, you mean…?" Eric prompted, looking a little concerned. He knew what an angry Waldorf was capable of executing.

"I will be resigning from my leadership role with the girls of the steps. You're welcome to it S…" Blair offered, but Serena, with her mouth full of buttery mashed potatoes, adamantly waved her off, "and, I will be refraining from…romance, until further notice".

Okay so it was mildly humiliating to be delivering this speech in front of Chuck but she'd gotten swept up in her enthusiasm for the idea. To his credit Chuck didn't look particularly flabbergasted, a little pinched maybe, somber and thoughtful. In contrast, Blair felt amazing, wildly free. Even if the rest of the dinner party was looking at her with reservation, she liked the idea that she was taking control of her life. Goodbye, Pity city; Hello, Happy Town!

However, after Blair's declaration, the room quickly fell back into silence.

Chuck Bass was thinking that he could use a scotch. Blair was swearing off romance, we'll he guessed it was better than hearing her announce her engagement. His relief was short-lived; he could presume that he was one of the "unhealthy" people she meant to cut out of her life. That did complicate matters, but he was resolved to try. Chuck pushed his chair away from the table and rose to stand behind it.

"Blair" he said, speaking her name aloud for the first time that evening. "May I talk to you for a minute, privately?"

The disbelieve that registered in Blair's face at his request was mirrored on each of the Van der Woodsens' faces, but only Serena's also displayed the air of distrust he could see behind Blair's eyes. For that reason, he wasn't surprised when it was the blonde who answered, "I don't think that would be a very good idea".

Blair looked a little flushed at her best friend's reply, but she didn't look up at him from under her lashes. He leaned in towards her until his mouth was close to her ear.

"Blair" he repeated, and her name on his lips felt deceptively like a caress. "Please?" he offered, and like so many other times in her life, Blair found she could not refuse him. She resisted futilely for a few seconds, before looking to Lilly, offering a lame "Excuse me" and then getting up to follow Chuck. She ignored the warning look Serena was shooting her and tried not to walk to quickly.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chuck's bedroom has always made Blair a little uncomfortable, although she never would have admitted it. Sure, it was made up in the luxury she was accustomed too, but it, like it's owner, also felt a little too dark and mysterious. It did not have the lived-in look that suggested its occupant spent a lot of time in the overstuffed leather chair by the window, or seated behind the cherry wood desk. However, undoubtedly, the most intimidating thing in Chuck Bass's bedroom, Chuck excluded, was his bed.

It was vast, and clothed in, she knew, sheets with the kind of thread count that made her swoon. As if Chuck needed any more ammunition.

Blair Waldorf had never once been in Chuck Bass's bed. Well she had, figuratively, but literally, she hadn't even touched it…the bed! Not, you know, the other thing. This was it, she was going to pieces, and he hadn't even started talking yet. Blair took a deep breath. She tried not to look nervous or anxious. She wanted instead to convey, irritation with a side of extreme dislike. Except he was sitting on the stupid bed, and looking like he wanted her to join him.

No way was that happening. She was staying as far away from that thing as she could, and putting a few feet between her and Chuck seemed like a good idea. She backed up instead, to his desk and perched herself on top of it while crossing her legs. There, this wasn't so terrifying. She could handle this situation, and any subsequent ones he tried to throw at her. She smirked at him in what she hoped was a taunting way.

"What did you want to talk about?"

He wasn't prepared for this, at all. He didn't usually ask questions to which he didn't already know the answers. He liked to analyze people, anticipate their reactions, especially Blair. He liked to think he knew her better than anyone else, that he could read her like an open book. This time was different. He had made a lot of mistakes, he knew, but in the past she'd always taken him back, eventually, except for the last time. The last time, when she'd said she was done.

"How sincere were you, with that little outburst at dinner?" He didn't bother with that polite conversation bullshit, he wasn't going to sugar coat it.

The smile faded from her face and she shot him a look that said, "I know exactly what you're trying to do". Did he think she couldn't resist him? That she couldn't survive with out a man, not just him, but any man, there to fortify her life. Well, he was mistaken. She was fully prepared to rid her life of all its impurity. Chuck Bass was number one in more than her speed dial. He would be the first to go.

"Very serious, dead serious." Her was voice coated in a sugary sweetness intended to sting.

He did something then that she hadn't anticipated, he grinned.

"Excellent. I feel exactly the same way." He affirmed.

She was confused, and she couldn't help but let it flicker across her face. He was…excited? That she didn't want to see or speak to him ever again?

"That's why I need your help."

Her look of bewilderment quickly sank into a frown. She didn't understand at all what he was talking about and she didn't like it one bit!

"The fact that you need help is undeniable, Bass, but what makes you think that I am equipped, let alone willing, to administer it?"

He looked at her innocently. "You just told me. You firmly believe what you stated at the table. That 'Just because you make a few ill-advised decisions doesn't mean you're a bad person. It doesn't mean that you can't change'. He quoted her earlier words back to her with a self-satisfied smile.

"Please!" she scoffed. I was referring to _myself_. My mistakes, namely _you_." She growled at him. "You are beyond help, Chuck. Besides, you said it yourself, you don't want any". She could have continued on her tirade. She had held on to all of the hurt he had inflicted on her in the past few months, intentional and otherwise, and right now her pain had turned to anger, an all-consuming fire, quickly raging out of control. Except that, he was looking at her again, in that way that she had never seen before Bart had died, like she was the only thing holding him back from the ledge. So she stopped talking and rung her hands in her lap instead.

"You can decide that you're gonna change your life, Waldorf. You can change your friends, and your clothing style and your shampoo, but what you're doing right now is acting like a hypocrite, which means you're staying exactly the same." His words were biting but his tone was silken.

"I've lost my fair share in life, and ruined most of what's left. You said you believed in me. I'm asking you if that's gone away. Lilly, with a few stipulations…" He gestured to the surrounding room. "…has agreed to adopt me. Which means that, even though the little problem concerning my dear uncle isn't exactly resolved, with her as my guardian, Bass Industries will be in safe hands, for now. She still plans to turn the CEO position over to me on my eighteenth birthday. That gives me three and a half months to gain the board's respect, and prove to them that I can be…responsible. I…can't do it myself. I need you. I need you to help me."

She wasn't looking at him. She was looking at her hands. She seemed weary and…small. He could tell she was thinking carefully about what he'd said. She glanced up.

"Why me?"

"Because…there's no one else" She nodded knowingly and dropped her gaze.

He sighed and brought two fingers up to his temple. "I'm lying", he said and she was looking at him again, uneasily.

"It's because…you make me…you make me want to be a better man. When I'm…when I'm with you…you relax me. I don't feel like everything's crumbling. I…I won't be able to do it without you". Shit, he wished it hadn't come out sounding so uncertain and disgustingly pleading.

She continued looking at him for what felt to Chuck, like several hours, but in reality was probably a few seconds. She got up off the desk and walked to the closed door. She grasped the handle and turned it. She was leaving. He really had ruined it this time.

She turned and said softly over her shoulder, "Okay", and then she was gone.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Serena Van der Woodsen was sitting on her bed flipping rapidly through a month old copy of Cosmopolitan when her best friend slipped into her room, shut the door and slumped against it, leaning her head softly back until it touched the wood panels.

Blair glanced fleetingly at the tensed blonde. She knew she looked guilty; Serena's mouth was pointed downward in hesitant accusation.

"Please, tell me you didn't" she said, her voice a mixture of displeasure and acceptance.

"Didn't what?" Blair shrugged innocently, kicked off her shoes, finally, and sitting next to Serena, bringing her stocking covered feet up onto the bed to fold underneath her.

"Oh, B" The blonde dissolved.

"Nothing happened!' Blair defended. "He asked me to help him clean up his image in an effort to impress the board of Bass Industries. It was hardly a candle-lit confession of love. He was desperate and…I…", she trailed off, hating to feel out of control even for a second, even in front of her closest friend. She thought to herself 'I was weak'.

"Blair" Serena moaned in frustration. "Why would you get yourself involved with him, again? Listen, I know you care about Chuck but he's just not…_he can't" _She didn't know how to say it, how to put into words the awful truth."How many times are you gonna let him hurt you? I just…I don't get it".

Blair was playing with the hem of her skirt. Serena was making her feel pathetic. Hadn't she sworn she was done? Hadn't she said enough was enough? Why, just when she had finally broken free, did she let him lure her back?

"It's the same reason you can't quit your Humphrey habit". She said quietly, but she knew by the way Serena was looking at her that she'd heard.

Serena nodded at her best friend, because she did know, exactly what it meant to feel so _recklessly_. You had to believe in a better tomorrow, that all of the pain you suffered would eventually pay off; because otherwise, you were just a fool in love.


	2. Baby, You're Bad News

**A/N: Wow, I am so embarrassingly new at this whole fanfiction thing. I wasn't sure how to make an author's note on the first chapter =[. I've got it, now! Haha**

**Anyways, just to give everyone a little background information. This is my first attempt not only at fanfiction, but also pretty much at story writing in general. I've had a constant stream of scenes running in my head for as long as I can remember, but I've never before had the motivation to actually write one down, let alone the confidence to publish it online for thousands (hopefully!) of anonymous readers. So, thank you for taking a chance on my story. I love Blair and Chuck an unhealthy amount and writing about them eases my blood pressure, despite the GG writers' constant attempts to raise it. If you have any opinions, (seriously, any at all) I'd love to hear them.**

**I am also currently working without a beta reader (since I'm not techie enough to figure out how to get one) so please excuse any grammar/spelling errors. I'm trying my darndest. Happy Reading!**

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Gossip Girl Blast

9:15pm EST

_Sighted: The Van der Woodsen household taking in a stray. Can it be, Chuck Bass requesting obedience training? He's been one naughty puppy. We can't wait to see if Blair Waldorf can teach an old dog new tricks. XOXO_

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Laying under Serena's down comforter, listening to the even sound of her best friend's breathing, Blair thought about how far tonight had deviated from her expectations. Probably, she should have gone back to talk to Chuck, discussed a plan of action, organized the rules of engagement; but even though she knew she'd wake up tomorrow morning with retched bags under eyes from lack of sleep, she couldn't bear any more talk this evening.

She grabbed Serena's silk eye mask off the nightstand, tugged it on, and rolled over. _You make me want to be a better man_. She attempted to distract herself by imaging that she was Princess Caroline. She smiled happily, before remembering that even the Princess had a tremulous love life. _I need you_. Blair sighed softly into her pillow. If even the royals were not exempt from heartache, she wondered, what hope was there for the rest of us? On that gloomy musing, she fell fitfully asleep.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

She was sitting at the breakfast bar, alone, munching on strawberries and cream. Serena had left early that morning for Brooklyn. She dipped a particularly luscious piece of the ripe red fruit and swirled it carefully, making sure to apply an even coat. She was much more concerned with the appearance of her breakfast than actually consuming it. She had just lifted the berry to her mouth when a familiar male presence made himself known behind her, wrapping his hands around her waist and sweeping in over her shoulder to steal the morsel between his lips, his tongue brushing lightly against her fingers in the process.

"You jerk!" she reprimanded, spinning on her stool to face him. He was smiling devilishly, and before she could work herself into a real tizzy, he muffled her protests with a scorching kiss. Her body responded immediately to his familiar taste.

_Oh, yes_, she thought, her mind hazy with pleasure. It had been too long since they'd been like this: lightheaded and breathless. Except, no! This was wrong. She pulled back, and he looked sullen.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?"

"I should think that was rather obvious," he said grasping her face in his hands and kissing her forcefully.

She was angry and confused and surprised and…there were very few things in life as wonderful as being kissed by Chuck Bass: diamonds (really, really big ones), custom made clothing, Godiva chocolates, and…who did she think she was kidding? She'd have traded any of those things in an instant to stay exactly like this for the rest of her life being kissed in a way that felt like melting.

"I love you, Blair," he murmured as he moved his kisses to the hollow at the base of her neck. There was no use fighting it. She could punish him later.

"Blair…" he moaned against her ear and she felt her whole body shiver in response.

He moved his hands to her shoulders and with his thumbs, slipped the loose fabric of her nightgown to the side, his fingertips searing against her skin, and then there was only the wanting. His mouth on her skin, a heat, a pressure, a silent promise of what was to come, and she was rising up to meet it.

"Blair…" he whispered along her collarbone as she wrapped her legs urgently around his waist.

"Please…" she whimpered. This temptation was too much to take. She knew every inch of Chuck Bass and at this moment there was far too much clothing between them.

"Blair…"

"Please…"

"_BLAIR_!" Serena was shaking her best friend none too gently. "It's 10:45, time to wake-up, sleepy head. This was left outside the door."

Blair pouted and wished herself back asleep. When it didn't work, she wondered whose idea of a sick joke this was. She perched on her elbows and flipped her eye mask up to rest along her hairline. She scowled at Serena and the folded piece of stationary she was holding.

"Bad dream?" Serena questioned innocently, trying not to offend the monster that looked remarkably like a cute brunette she used to know.

"Something like that." She reached for the paper.

_Blair_, the outside read in all-too-familiar script. The last time she'd received a note from Chuck Bass, she'd been abandoned. _Awesome,_ she thought, _it just keeps on getting better._

The inside read:

_I'm sure you've got questions. Let's do brunch at the Four Seasons, 11:30. The strategy: devise and conquer._

_See you soon,_

_---C._

Serena had been watching her read. The blonde managed to look concerned even in lacy La Perla sleepwear.

"Good news or bad news?"

"It's Chuck. Who knows?" Blair said, climbing out of bed and heading for the shower. Just because she had sworn off romance didn't mean she couldn't make sure all of the eligible bachelors realized just how desirable she was, and so what if Chuck Bass was among them. She merely wanted to test his resolve. After all, a cardinal rule of gentlemanly behavior is "look, but don't touch". As she massaged shampoo into her scalp, Blair imagined walking in at 11:45 (fashionably late) in something sinful of Serena's, and smiled.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Gossip Girl Blast

11:38 am EST

_Spotted: Blair Waldorf looking scrumptious in a sky blue sundress exiting the Palace and heading for brunch. We can't be sure of what's on today's menu, but we're willing to bet that Chuck Bass will be eating his heart out. Careful B, vengeance is a dish best served cold._

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Her watch read 11:47 pm as Blair entered the Four Seasons.

_Perfect,_ she thought happily, imagining the flawless arrival she had planned. Chuck would be waiting for her, agitated, sitting at their table in the corner. He'd glance up as she strolled inside looking windswept and carefree. Chuck would blanch at her natural beauty and grace, suddenly overcome by his unbearably strong feelings for her. How sad he would be that she had sworn off romance. _If only I had acted sooner_, he'd think miserably. He'd stand up then, confess his undying love for her and sweep her into his arms. "But, wait!" she'd protest prettily, except that his eyes would be filled with such longing that she would acquiesce with an, "Oh, alright," and they'd live happily ever after.

_Show time! _She glided up to the maitre d'.

"Ms. Waldorf," he greeted her. "Well, don't you look lovely!"

"Merci, Henri," she smiled. "I'm meeting Chuck Bass."

"Ah, yes. Right this way, Mr. Bass should be here shortly. He asked me to escort you to the table."

Blair followed the polite Frenchman with a frown. Leave it to Chuck to ruin her entrance.

She had been seated for less than five minutes when he slid into place at the table. Over her menu, she watched him take in her outfit. She noted with satisfaction that, despite his best efforts, his jaw tightened and his eyes flashed.

"You said 11:30," she charged, annoyed at him for making her wait.

"I knew you'd be late," he responded, picking up his menu at the same time and smirking for having bested her.

A tuxedoed waiter approached them.

"May I take your drink order?"

"I'll have a scotch."

"Like hell you will," Blair whispered angrily, leaning over the table and unknowingly treating Chuck to a tempting view of her cleavage. "We'll take two lattes and a bottle of Pellegrino, please".

"I _want_ a scotch," Chuck shot back, arching towards her and mimicking her tone of voice.

Blair smiled at the uncomfortable waiter. "That's too bad," she grit out at her dining companion. "You asked for my help and you're getting it. Nice, responsible, future-CEO's don't consume alcohol, in public, _before noon_." Shifting her gaze back to the server she said sweetly, "We've discussed it. You can go."

He looked grateful for an excuse to leave them.

Chuck was particularly handsome this morning, Blair decided, in his navy cashmere sweater paired with faded khaki trousers. She noticed that, in comparison to the volume of his usual attire, this morning's ensemble was visibly turned down. When the waiter returned to place a steaming coffee in front of him, he looked despondent.

She was not sympathetic.

"You'd better get used to it. Your new regime includes only legal stimulants. I suggest you make friends with caffeine." As she spoke she pulled a planner from her butter cream tote and flipped it open.

Chuck took one look at her notebook before breaking into a grin.

"You look like Nancy Drew".

"And you look like Marlon Brando," she responded mockingly as she reached over to smooth a piece of his hair back.

In the middle of the crowded restaurant, the gesture was surprisingly intimate. Both aware of the sudden change in atmosphere, Blair dropped her hand back into her lap and Chuck cleared his throat.

"Tell me, Waldorf," he said smoothly, regaining his composure, "What other rules have you got listed in that book of yours? No fun, merriment or joy or any kind?" he suggested.

"Close." She offered him a tight-lipped smile and rolled her eyes. "I took the opportunity, on the car ride over, to draw up a little schedule. In three months you'll turn eighteen and meet with the board for an appraisal. The first month will be the hardest. The first thing you need to do is abandon your vices. They're what landed you in this situation in the first place. It takes thirty days to break a habit, so for four weeks you will abstain from booze, drugs, and…" she looked down uncomfortably, "…sex".

When she finally raised her eyes to gauge his reaction, his mouth was still hanging slightly open.

"An entire month?" he gaped incredulously. "Impossible," he scoffed. "I'm worried about lasting through brunch, and your suggesting I go cold turkey until March? It can't be done."

"Fine," she shrugged, moving to pack up her things. "Enjoy floundering as Bass Industries pretty front man while Uncle Jack sits at the helm. Ninety days is nothing, I'm sure he won't mind bidding his time".

"Jesus," he was running his hands through his hair. "Read me the rest of the God damn list".

She reassumed her sit and continued, "You'll need to improve upon both your attendance and academic records at school…"

He nodded.

"…be seen completing some kind of community service."

He looked skeptical.

"You want to improve your image, right? Well the board, and your investors for that matter, need to believe that you care about someone other than yourself." She'd been following the column with her finger as she scrolled to the last item she gave a little laugh. "It wouldn't hurt you to take up a more respectable form of recreation. Maybe tennis? Or golf?" she offered.

He groaned.

"That should take care of phase one."

"What's phase two?" he questioned.

"I don't want to scare you," she answered truthfully, biting her lip.

He gulped slightly but didn't inquire further.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

They spent the remainder of the brunch in a kind of limbo, making small talk and letting awkward silences fill with all the things they couldn't say to one another. Once they had finished the meal, Chuck suggested they share something from the bakery. Initially, Blair declined, but when he promised she could choose their dessert from the display case she conceded gleefully.

"I'll be right back" she assured, getting up and skipping playfully toward the display, turning around to grin at him as she went.

It was moments like these, when she had no idea how beautiful she was, that Chuck wanted her most. He watched as she peered into the revolving glass case, surveying her choices. After a moment a tall blonde guy strolled up and placed a hand on her upper arm as he addressed her. Chuck fumed at their contact. Who the fuck did this guy think he was?

"I'm Luke Young," the preppy college guy was saying as he took Blair's hand in his.

"Blair Waldorf," she introduced herself politely. Her mind recognized that he was handsome with perfect teeth, but she couldn't remember the last time she'd been attracted to a man other than Chuck. He had corrupted her, in more ways than one, that was for sure. That's why abandoning her quest for true love had seemed so simple. She only had one real obstacle, an obstacle that she noticed, when she glanced over at him, was glaring in her direction. _What was his problem?_ When she turned back around, College guy was staring at her expectantly. _Had he asked her a question?_

"I'm sorry," she smiled in apology, "What was that?"

"I asked if you were here with your boyfriend," he flashed his pearly whites.

Back at the table, Chuck was sure steam was about to explode from his ears. That creep was touching her again. Taking advantage of her manners by taking her hand in his for a handshake Chuck felt was far from casual. He didn't even notice Blair turning to look at him, he was too busy glaring daggers at Ralph Lauren. Then she was smiling at him! Chuck debated going over there but before he had settled on an opening line, he watched Blair accept a cocktail napkin from the guy and head back for the table.

"Oh, him?" Blair asked gesturing to Chuck. Luke nodded. "Oh, God no. He's not my…I mean were not…No. The answer to your question is no," she gave a weak little laugh.

"Great. Here's my number. Give me a call sometime, anytime. I'd love to take you out for a non-platonic meal," and then he was thrusting a napkin in her hand and walking away. _Oh well_, she thought, _maybe she'd give the number to Serena when things went down the tubes again with Dan Humphrey_. She headed back to the table.

"The chocolate devil's food cake looks good," she suggested to Chuck.

"I thought you weren't looking for a relationship," he said, both his eyes and tone accusatory.

"What?" Her brows furrowed in confusion. "Oh, that guy? I'm not, he just---"

"Nice to see you waited all of twelve hours," he cut her off.

"Excuse me," Blair started, annoyed. "I wasn't even---"

"He's totally wrong for you" he told her, crossing his arms across his chest. "Guys like _that_ are only after one thing." His voice was venomous.

"And what, exactly, might that be?" Blair raised her eyebrows. He didn't answer.

"You are unbelievable," she shook her head. "For your information, I had no intentions of going out with that guy, and I may have sworn of romance, but I never said anything about sex. Thanks to you I've learned those two things are not mutually exclusive. Maybe I will give him a call."

He scoffed. "Give me a break. You're incapable of casual sex. You'd always be looking for the fairy tale. It doesn't work that way."

"There's a first time for everything".

"You've got an itch you need scratched?" He asked incredulously, his insides contracting when she shrugged as if to say, _Maybe I do_. "Fine," he spat. "but not _him_."

"I happen to find him _very_ attractive" she lied.

"You won't find what you're looking with Skippy over there. He doesn't _know_ you like I do". Chuck leered.

"You're right," Blair purred, and watched as his eyes lit up. "It's too bad you'll be out of commission for thirty days".

He exhaled loudly, having forgotten about the stupid schedule. "I'll make you a deal."

"I'm through making deals with you, Bass," she promised.

"You said you wanted to help me. Well, we both know I'd be much less likely to fall off the wagon if there were some sort of _incentive _waiting for me at the finish line." He didn't think she'd go for it. Not when he'd burned her so many times in the past, but he couldn't help hoping. It didn't matter how many women he'd been with. It was never the same as when he was with Blair.

She knew exactly what he was proposing. They had come to similar arrangements before, when the stakes were lower. Blair may have sworn off men, but the only man she truly needed to escape was propositioning over bacon and eggs.

This leering, smooth talking Chuck was the one she remembered, but something was different about this time. There was vulnerability, and a desperation, behind his words she'd never felt before. _I need you to help me. I won't be able to do it without you. _She thought back to last night, when she and Serena had climbed into bed and the lights were off.

Her best friend had turned to her, "It's that feeling you get, in the pit of your stomach, when the phone rings and you run to grab it, and you think to yourself, _I shouldn't be running, I should be strolling gracefully, not caring who it is_, but you do, you _really_ care, because you want it to be him, and it doesn't matter how many times it isn't, because that one time it is, he says exactly what you've been waiting to hear".

She knew what she was risking. She knew she wouldn't come out of this wager in one piece, but at the same time, she knew she'd agree, because she still believed he was worth it. Besides, her world right now was far from perfect.

That's the trouble with longing, when your heart is broken, you tend to notice the cracks in everything else.

"You've got yourself a deal. I'll see you tomorrow, Chuck." She gathered her things "Bright and early for school," she reminded him with a smile.

"What about your cake?" he asked. He couldn't believe what she'd just agreed to, and now she was leaving?

"Oh, yeah," she said distractedly, still walking away from the table. "I forgot about this thing I have to do. Rain check?" she asked, and he could see her thoughts were elsewhere.

"Count on it" he answered, but she was too far away to hear.

Chuck gestured for the waiter. He needed the check, tomorrow was going to be interesting, to say the least, and there were a few things he needed to purchase in preparation.

As he exited the Four Seasons, Chuck Bass realized that for the first time, in a long time, he was looking forward to something. He smiled as he slid into his limo.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


	3. Failsafe

_I have this great imaginary world, _

_but sometimes I just need things to happen for real._

_---Ally McBeal_

The next morning, when Blair stepped outside in the brand new red Louboutin pumps she'd purchased for the express purpose of torturing a certain former bad boy, a familiar car was idling at the curb.

"Wanna go for a ride?" Chuck simpered as he rolled down his window.

She rolled her eyes as he got out to open her door.

"How gentlemanly of you," she commended as she sunk into the black leather. "I wasn't expecting to see you until we got to school. I'm happy to see you managed to wakeup at the time I recommended."

He was admiring the way Blair's shoes elongated her legs.

"I'm nothing if not obedient," he said, in a tone that suggested he was anything but.

She ignored him, instead rummaging for something in her purse.

Sitting here, in the limo with Blair on the way to school, felt surreal. It was too normal, too comfortable, and simple. For over a month since his father's passing, Chuck hadn't cared about anything. He'd lived loosely, consequences damned, only to find himself now, exactly where he'd started. Honestly, he was a little nervous. It had been easy before, to play the UES game; he'd had everything, until he had nothing.

The car slowed to a stop in front of the school, ending Chuck's revere.

"What do you have first period?" Blair inquired as the walked up the familiar grey steps. The first bell had already rung and most of their peers had headed inside.

"I don't remember," Chuck answered truthfully, trying to think back and coming up blank.

"Well, it's a new semester," Blair reminded him. "I think I stuck a copy of your class list in my planner." She flipped it open. "You've got Calculus. It's right across from my Bio. class. If we hurry, you won't be late on your first day back."

He followed her as she walked, already feeling a migraine develop at the prospect of seven uninterrupted hours of learning. She looked concerned and he could tell she felt uncomfortable leaving him alone to face the pack of gossip mongers that waited on the other side of the door, anxious to have the rumors that had been buzzing for months settled. But, he was Chuck Bass. He'd always relished a scandal before, just because he was suddenly in the center of the mother of them all, shouldn't change anything.

"Don't be pessimistic, Waldorf. It's not your style," he said, clucking her under her chin.

She narrowed her eyes at him, pretending she hadn't felt any anxiety at all.

"The only thing I'm worried about, _Bass_, is whether or not my lab partner will appreciate my new outfit." As she spoke, Blair pointed through the small glass window in the door to a handsome guy with glasses setting up an experiment.

Chuck took one last look at her short pleated skirt and tight fitting cardigan as he turned to face his math classroom. Since when was he the monogamist, transforming himself to better suit the object of his affection, while Blair wore suggestive outfits and flirted with everything with a pulse. The role reversal was making his head spin. Derivatives would be a welcome distraction.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Gossip Girl Blast

11:41am EST

_Everyone comes to New York City to reinvent themselves, but we can usually count on the natives to stay exactly the same. So what is Chuck Bass doing taking notes and checking out library books? We're not sure what's come over him, but we've got a sneaking suspicion Blair Waldorf does. Speaking of our favorite brunette, we must admit to admiring her new footwear. Just a reminder, B, It's better to wear out shoes than sheets. _

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Serena was eating a bagel from H&H. It was poppy seed and she kept getting those little black things stuck in between her teeth. Blair sat next to her picking at a pile of tortilla chips without eating.

"It needs to be perfect," Blair muttered to herself.

"Racquetball?" Serena suggested.

"Too sweaty."

"Soccer?"

Blair looked at the ground, wet after last night's showers.

"Too muddy."

Serena chewed thoughtfully. "How about basketball?"

Blair shot her a look that said, _You've got to be kidding me_.

"You're right," Serena admitted, reaching to snag a chip.

"There's something missing," Blair moaned, staring unseeingly at her snack.

"Salsa?" Serena guessed.

"I've got it!" Blair shouted triumphantly.

"What've you got?" Chuck slid in next to Blair and reached across her to help himself to a chip from the bag Serena had commandeered.

"A date for Saturday night," she smiled, flashing the folded sheet of lined paper with her lab partner's number between her middle and index fingers, "among other things."

Chuck snatched the note from her hand and unfolded it. "Shane Templeton?" he asked, his tone disbelieving.

Serena leaned over to pipe in with her mouth full, "What's wrong with Shane Templeton?"

"Are you kidding me?" Chuck responded, "Don't you remember last year's tennis finals? He totally choked. Cost the team the championship."

"So what?" Blair said skeptically. "I doubt we'll be playing tennis at the Guggenheim."

"He's taking you to a museum? That doesn't sound very casual to me," Serena mused and Blair shot her a dirty look.

Chuck looked smug.

"On the contrary," Blair recovered, "I'm simply setting the scene for one of my most recent fantasies, fooling around in a public place." Blair relished the fleeting look on Chuck's face that was half lust and half jealousy.

Luckily, he regained his composure swiftly. "Too bad you've failed to notice Mr. Templeton's history of performance anxiety. Coupled with his tendency to buckle under pressure, I think we can all agree he's not a fitting choice for that particular venture."

Blair frowned, because as much as she hated to admit it, and boy did she _hate_ to admit it, Chuck had a point. Then again, her little "fantasy" speech had only been half true. As far as she knew, there was only one man alive who could make her so crazy with lust that she'd even consider exhibition, and luckily, he'd just recently taken a month long vow of celibacy.

As Blair sat contemplating, Chuck reached across and stole a sip of her latte. "Excuse me," Blair scolded, grabbing the cup back and wiping at the rim with a napkin.

"Relax, Waldorf. _Friends_ share. Besides, when it comes to my bodily fluids---"

"I beg you not to finish that sentence!" Serena interrupted, and spotting Dan across the courtyard, fled for the safety of her ears.

Once she was gone, Blair scooted a little further down on the bench. "We're not friends," she told Chuck.

He followed her as she moved, making up the space she placed in between them and then some. "So what are we?" He whispered huskily in her ear.

She gazed into his dark eyes and them smiled grimly. "I'm masochistic," she said with a lightness she didn't feel, and then as her grin became genuine, "And you're taking advantage."

Chuck smiled at her and stood, gathering the remains of her lunch and depositing it in the trashcan.

"I wasn't done!" Blair objected, despite that fact that she was beyond full from the sesame seed bagel she'd consumed before his arrival.

"Just making sure you save your appetite for later," Chuck assured her, knowing full well that she'd had no further intention of eating.

"Later?" Blair asked, remaining seated while Chuck stacked her books and collected them in his arms. "What happens later?" As far as she knew there was nothing going on. It was a Monday night, after all.

"I made reservations. I thought we should celebrate." He had been standing, looking down at her as they spoke, but as he punctuated his last sentence he began to walk towards the street, taking her books with him.

"What are we celebrating? And where are you going?" She scampered after him.

"My first day back to school, the fact that I've managed to obey your little rules for a full 48 hours, your new shoes," he looked at them again admiringly. "…Take your pick. And I'm going to the car. School's over."

"What about 8th period?" She asked, lengthening her strides to keep up with him. You can't just leave whenever you feel like it." She replied smugly.

"We've got study hall this period," He reminded her, "but I appreciate your concern. Are you coming home with me or should I have Ben drop you off?" He turned to look at her once they'd reached the limo.

She stared him down for a moment before responding. "I need to change," she said, as she entered the car through the door he held open for her.

Once he was seated beside her and they had started for her penthouse, he leaned his head back against the leather and looked at her. With his eyes sparkling in amusement, he told her, "I like you just the way you are," before laughing lightly at his own lame joke. Against her will, she too let out a burst of laughter.

"Sobriety has done nothing for your wit," she said, but she couldn't help but be charmed.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**A/N: Sorry this chapter is a little shorter than the previous two. Things have been absolutely crazy this past week. In typical Blair Waldorf fashion, I seem to have bit off a little more than I can chew. Besides my usual commitments to school and work I am currently organizing a charity gala and producing a play. Lately I've had to choose between sleep and writing. The latter was the obvious choice, so I hope you enjoyed these espresso-fueled scenes. **

**Luckily, I have just begun a four-day weekend. Expect an update very soon! Thank you to all of you for reading. As always, I'd love to hear what you think. **


	4. All My Days

**A/N: I had so much fun writing this installment. I hope you enjoy reading it. **

**The dress detailed in the chapter is an actual couture piece. The link for the Oscar de la Renta is ****.com/albums/j4/cnrward/Style and Clothing ****. I suggest taking a peek if you're interested, because try as I might, my description doesn't do it justice.**

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It was 5:00 o'clock when Blair let herself begin to get ready to go out, because no self respecting woman spent more than two hours getting ready for a Monday night non-date, and when he had dropped her off, Chuck had told her the car would be waiting outside at 7:00pm sharp.

By 6:30, she had showered, styled her hair, applied her makeup, and opened the door to her studio apartment-sized closet in search of an outfit that said, _I couldn't care less what you think about me, as evidenced by this casually thrown together ensemble. It's not my fault I happen to look fabulous._ However, the dress that greeted her the moment she looked inside didn't exactly convey that sort of message. This dress said, _I look so fantastic that you want to hate me, but you can't because my dress is too beautiful._ It was something Blair would never have chosen for herself, because it was better than anything she could have imagined.

It was a deep shadowed scarlet with a full skirt leading up to a cinched waist which was gathered to form a delicate flower. The neckline was dipped into a deep V, but covered enough to remain tasteful. The dress was incredibly intricate and even at a distance, Eleanor Waldorf's daughter could tell it was custom-made.

It was a moment before Blair could take a step closer to it, finally recognizing that a folded note lay on the ground before the dress. She didn't have to read it to know it was from Chuck. It was too modern for her mother's taste, too sexy to be from her dad, and the kind of thing Serena would have wanted to keep for herself. Besides, only Chuck could have selected something so passionate.

The note simply read:

_I know how you hate to be underdressed. I've been meaning to give this to you. _

She couldn't imagine where Chuck had made reservations. What kind of dress code called for a custom-made ball gown?

Blair stripped down to her undergarments and gently took the dress out of its hanger. She stepped into it, terribly afraid for a moment that it wouldn't fit. She should have known better, no one knew her body like Chuck Bass. The gown slid on like a glove.

After adding a pair of classic black satin Manolo's (not that anyone would be looking at her feet tonight), she grabbed her clutch and headed down the elevator. The doors opened to reveal her favorite mistake, looking devastatingly handsome in his tuxedo, leaning against the limo and looking at her in a way you only read about in horrible, grocery store romance novels.

"You're magnificent," he told her, walking forward to take her hand in his.

"Thank you," Blair said softly, basking in the warmth of his gaze, "and for the dress, it's incredible."

"It belonged on you," he simply shrugged, and led her to the car.

Blair's heart was beating irregularly. Here she was, having what might possibly be the most romantic Monday night non-date in history with the very man who had broken her heart, not once but over and over again. She took a deep breath and turned to face him.

"We shouldn't be too late", he deduced, confusing her in the process. In response to her puzzled expression, he elaborated. "I promised Lilly we'd be there before the curtain rose at eight."

_Lilly? Curtain?_ _Huh?_ "We're meeting your step-mother?" she wondered, her romantic illusions quickly evaporating.

"And Serena and Eric," he amended. "It was Lilly's idea, a family night at the Opera to celebrate my return. She asked me last night to call and reserve our box."

He was smiling at her innocently, completely unaware that he'd just dashed her hopes for the evening to pieces. _Serves you right, _she inwardly scolded_. The last thing you need, Blair Waldorf, is to let yourself fall back in love with him. Haven't you had enough heartache? _

"Oh," she mumbled, trying to hide her traitorous disappointment. "Great."

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

They arrived in the box as the house lights began to flash, signifying the start of the show. Blair waved and mouthed a greeting to the Van der Woodsens, ignoring the silent question in Serena's eyes. She and Chuck took the remaining two seats, situated to the far left. Blair chose the aisle seat and Chuck sat next to her on the right of Eric.

The opera was Tristan und Isolde, which Chuck knew to be Blair's favorite. He recalled how she had always found the tragic story of the doomed lovers hopelessly romantic. Unfortunately, it appeared the same could not be said for his stepbrother, who almost immediately after the curtains rose, began to snore gently.

The box was dark and the music floated up from the stage in what felt like a gentle mist. Chuck didn't have to look at Blair to recognize how beautiful she looked wearing the dress he'd given her. His whole body was attuned to her presence, humming slightly at her nearness.

Blair couldn't concentrate on the singers below her. She was nervous. On their way in, a waiter had offered her and Chuck complementary flutes of champagne. She hadn't thought twice before reaching for two glasses, hoping the alcohol might ease some of the awkwardness guaranteed under the romantic circumstances. It was only when she turned to hand the drink to Chuck had she realized her mistake. He'd never been a big fan of champagne, she supposed it wasn't masculine enough, but then again, he had been without alcohol for five straight days for the first time in a very long time.

Chuck's collar tightened at the sight of Blair's extended hand. Up until this point, it hadn't been all that hard to resist drinking. Much easier than he'd originally assumed, he'd been so distracted with thoughts of Blair, and then the adjustment to returning to school, but suddenly he felt the weight of clarity crash down upon him. It was so easy to go though life with everything muted. He looked at Blair's frightened eyes; she was terrified of the simple blunder she'd just made, wondering if it would be enough to push him over the edge.

It didn't matter how much he was around her, he could never get used to her beauty. She took his breath away. He couldn't believe that he'd ever been too drunk to notice. Chuck didn't plan on making that error again. He offered a smile to put her at ease.

"I'm fine," he assured her.

She'd looked for the waiter than, to replace the flutes, but he was already gone. Rather than hold them any longer, she did the first thing that came to mind. She downed both glasses as he watched, impressed.

"I'm so sorry," she said, her voice still laced with concern.

"You aren't like anyone, Blair Waldorf," he said, taking the empty glasses from her and placing them on a table. "Let's go," and he'd led her upstairs.

She was regretting her earlier actions. She'd never been able to handle her booze very well, especially not on an empty stomach, and she hadn't bothered to eat before they left, believing as she had that they were headed to dinner. So, she sat now with a stomach full of liquor and butterflies. Which, combined with the romantic atmosphere, her special dress, and Chuck's nearness, was making her feel languid and sexy. He looked so handsome in his tux and she couldn't remember the last time they'd kissed.

As Act I progressed on stage, Blair leaned forward slightly and placed her hand on Chuck's knee. A part of her protested, saying, _It isn't nice. It isn't fair,_ but the rest of her told that part to take a hike.

Chuck swallowed dryly when he felt the warmth of Blair Waldorf's hand on his knee. He'd been celibate for almost a week now, since the night he'd come to the Palace asking for Lilly's help, and he was proud of his progress. Except, that right now, the most beautiful girl he had ever seen was touching him in a way that made him want to abandon his quest for reform without a second thought.

He needed to remain in control. He wasn't sure what Blair was aiming for, but he knew whatever it was, it probably didn't bode well for him. He reached his own hand up to cover hers, grasping it gently and holding it for a moment before releasing it back to its owner.

He didn't look at Blair, if he had, he would have noticed the devilish smile that developed on her face. She could tell from the way he had gone rigid in his seat that her actions were having an effect on him. She slipped her left foot out of her shoe and snaked her stockinged foot around Chuck's bear ankle. He shot her a warning glare out of the corner of his eye but she merely winked at him, allowing her toes to continue their travels, up his calf and toward his crotch. Chuck shifted in an effort to avoid her, but the close quarters of the box left him nowhere to escape. He spent the next ten minutes in utter agony, waiting for the Act to end.

As the star soprano hit a harrowing high note, the curtains began to close and Blair Waldorf slipped her foot back into her shoe. When the lights came up, Chuck was already standing behind his chair, gripping the wooden frame like an iron vice. The moment all three blondes headed out to battle the restroom lines, he turned to glower at Blair who remained in her seat, feigning ignorant innocence.

He let her feel the steely intensity of his gaze for a full two minutes. She was too nervous to be the first to break the silence. Her spine tingled in response to his anger and obvious arousal.

Suddenly, he crossed the short distance between them and grabbed her hand, pulling her from her seat and out of the box. He tugged her wordlessly through the crowded lobby and yanked open a gilded door pushing her in front of him and inside, closing the door to what appeared to be a coat check closet with a dry click.

The next thing she knew, he had pushed her up against the nearest wall and crashed his mouth against hers in a bruising kiss. Her own lips parted in shock and he took the chance to deepen their embrace, bringing one hand up to tangle in her hair as the other pulled her flush against him.

"What are you doing?" she asked, taking a step back and pressing her palms flat against his chest.

"Checking off item one on your to do list" he murmured, "someone could come in at any moment".

With that devilish threat in mind, she reached for him again, threading her hands in his hair as they resumed kissing. It was better than she'd remembered, better even than she'd dreamed, because it was so very _real_. Her brain was hazy, overheated and ill prepared for the onslaught of emotions this kiss presented, but she didn't stop to think, only wanted to feel.

Chuck pulled back slightly and growled against her lips, giving her a chance to catch her breath, but then his hand was moving from behind her head to push up the silk of her dress and run along her thigh. She moaned into his mouth, delirious with need.

It took every ounce of willpower he had to proclaim, "Okay, let's go," as he broke away from her. Placing the hand that had seconds ago been on her leg into his pant pocket, the other reaching to once again grasp her hand.

"What?" She gasped out, disbelieving.

"Intermission's almost over," Chuck said.

"Who cares?" she whimpered, reaching for his belt buckle.

"Uh uh uh, Blair," he reprimanded, "We've got twenty-eight more days to go," and with that he led her, speechless, back to their seats.

Two hours later, when the curtains finally closed for good on the lovers' dying forms, Blair was still trying to work out how her plan had backfired so completely.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The rest of the school week went by tensely. Blair did everything in her power to avoid Chuck, including walking to school, despite the fact that his car came every morning.

When he was finally able to catch her, in the hallway on Thursday afternoon, he tried to make nice.

Leaning one arm against the locker beside hers, he offered his most charming smile. "I've got something to tell you," he announced.

She slammed her locker shut, and began to walk away, "I'm not talking to you," she announced in his general direction.

His smile broadened. "How come?" he questioned his face a mask of exaggerated concern.

She glared at him and turned to march off, but he reached for her arm to stop her.

"Blair, I'm serious. This is important."

She paused and waited for him to continue.

"I want to tell you that I love…"

Blair froze, her eyes the only part of her to respond to his words, swelling suddenly to the size of saucers.

"…kissing you in coat closets" he finished saucily, his eyes dancing in amusement.

"Ugh," Blair let out an infuriated groan and stormed off.

_Well_, Chuck thought to himself, _that could have gone better_.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Gossip Girl Blast

1:34pm EST

_Has anyone else noticed that our favorite on-again/off-again couple seems to be skirting a rough patch? I haven't seen such icy glares since Destiny's Child split. We're dying to know why B's giving C the cold shoulder. Whatever the reason, our advice to C is, the quickest way to melt a frosty disposition is with a little body heat. _

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It was Friday afternoon. Blair stomped through the Van der Woodsen penthouse and upon finding Serena's room empty, followed the sound of running water to her best friend's adjacent bathroom. Pushing open the door, she declared, "It's me" to the shower, and went to sit on the covered toilet.

"I'm going to murder that Mother Chucker," she complained, and taking Serena's lack of response as encouragement, began a tirade.

"He thinks he can just do whatever the hell he wants because he bought me something nice," she vented, "this is not Pretty Woman".

"You can't just go around kissing people, Serena, and not just kissing them. Kissing them in a way that makes them want to you know…" Blair trailed off, imagining it.

"Why does he have to be such a good kisser? Huh? Why couldn't he be like that guy you hooked up with in St. Barts, you know the one with the dreadlocks? God, every time he's around me I just want to rip all my clothes off. It's bad, S. So, so, so bad."

At that, Blair heard the water turn off. Evidently, Serena had heard enough. Blair got up to hand her best friend a towel, tossing it over the shower curtain.

In the next moment, when the curtain was pulled aside to reveal a dripping, half naked, Chuck Bass, it didn't matter that all of the mirrors were fogged up, Blair knew she was blushing scarlet.

"Thanks" he chuckled, tightening the towel that hung loose on his hips.

_God, but he was gorgeous_. "You?!" Blair asked incredulously.

"Eric was in ours," he offered, "Serena's in Brooklyn". He loved how mad she was.

Blair closed her eyes and wished that she could go back in time, to about a million years ago, well before men like Chuck Bass had ever existed. When she finally opened them, Chuck was still standing there, watching her with a goofy grin.

She sighed heavily. _What did I ever do to deserve this?_

Chuck lifted a hand to stroke the side of her face.

"You know," he told her, "I like kissing you too," and with that he walked out in the direction of his bedroom.

No sooner had he closed his door behind him that his cell phone buzzed on the dresser.

_Tonight. 8:00pm. DON'T BE LATE._

_----B._

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Gossip Girl Blast

4:33pm

_Spotted: B, leaving the Palace with her thinking cap on. We smell a scheme. Whoever said, "Paybacks a bitch", probably had Blair Waldorf in mind. _

_You know you love me. XOXO_

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


	5. Secret Heart

"_I don't want you to be better off without me."_

_---Brooke Connors_

"I'm not going." Chuck told her indignantly, crossing his arms over his chest.

They were seated in a town car. Blair had decided that Chuck's limo gave him an upper hand, so she'd insisted on arranging the night's transportation. Plus, this way he couldn't instruct the driver to turn around.

"Of course you are. It's part of your training," she argued, unmoved by his protests.

"It is not! You're punishing me because you got caught admitting how much you still want me," he whispered against her neck, placing a few feather light kisses there before she pushed him away.

"Ugh. Quit flattering yourself. Besides, you're little performance in the coat closet merely served to get me riled up right before my date with Shane. Just because you are unable to…_satisfy_…" she let the word linger, "my craving doesn't mean I have to go without. I'm sure my date will appreciate any moves I pick up this evening."

Chuck scowled at her. "I thought we decided you weren't going out with him."

"There is no "we", Bass, and the only reason I considered canceling my plans for Saturday night was because it was suggested that Shane might not be able to fulfill a certain whimsy of mine, but since you've seen to that," she leaned in close to straighten his tie, letting her hands caress his chest before pulling away, "there's no harm in taking a test drive." She relished the fact that he was annoyed, maybe even jealous.

Chuck cracked his knuckles to alleviate some of his desire to crack Shane Templeton's skull. He changed the subject, hating to picture her with that pretentious pretty boy. _Back to the task at hand, changing tonight's destination. _

"The only people who go to dance classes are graceless, poor, and ugly. Do you really want to be counted among their ranks?" He played against her vanity, hoping she'd let him take her somewhere more private, somewhere where he could concentrate on his new mission, ravishing her so completely that she was ruined for every other man.

"On the contrary," she corrected, "we're not going to the YMCA. I've arranged a private session in the Palace ballroom." He narrowed his eyes at her, trying to deduce the depth of her calculating. "And while I can't comment on their attractiveness, I assure you, our classmates are anything but hard up."

"Care to elaborate?" Chuck prompted, suspecting she wasn't telling him everything.

She moved a little further away from him, bracing herself for his reaction. "I invited a few of the board members to join us. They're very eager to see the progress you've made, and they thought it would be fun, or rather their wives did. You see there's a charity gala at the end of the month with a "Havana Nights" theme…" she trailed off at his furious expression.

"It was Serena's idea, really," she told him honestly. "She mentioned Salsa when I was brainstorming recreational outings, and okay, I'm pretty sure this wasn't exactly what she had in mind…"

Chuck closed his eyes and counted to ten. It wouldn't do to strangle her. Then he'd have to dance alone.

The spent the rest of the short car ride in silence. Blair looked out the window, feeling a little guilty about throwing Chuck to the lions.

Chuck wished for a scotch to calm his nerves. In actuality, interacting with the board in a relaxed atmosphere was probably a good idea, but he'd let Blair suffer, for he knew in a few minutes, he'd be the one in pain.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Ok, just remember, we are the epitome of class and sophistication. It will be fine. You'll be fine. Everything's going to be…" Blair breathed our deeply. This was very stressful.

"Fine..?" Chuck finished for her, smiling despite his own nerves. They were standing outside the Palace, preparing to enter.

"Exactly," she swallowed and led him through the revolving doors.

Standing side by side in the doorway of the ballroom, they glimpsed five or so older couples, members of the board and their spouses, all eagerly awaiting their arrival. A man, whose Dolce and Gabbana silk shirt suggested he was their instructor, spotted them loitering.

"Do join us," he gestured to them. "We're just getting ready to begin." The teenagers exchanged a look before stepping in, it seemed to say, _we've made our bed, let's lay in it_.

Latin music swirled in the room, and their instructor, who had introduced himself as Jorge, told everyone to take to the floor. "I need to know what I'm working with," he informed them.

Chuck was grateful for the chance to avoid exchanging pleasantries with the partners, at least in the mean time. He reached for Blair and pulled her into a loose embrace. They'd danced together before of course, but it suddenly felt awkward, too intimate to hold her close the way he wanted too.

Jorge, however, seemed to feel differently, as he almost immediately came over and corrected their stance. "Don't be nervous, dear. She won't bite," he assured a sallow Chuck with a wink before gallivanting off to see to the other pairs.

"He obviously has no idea who he's dealing with," Chuck simpered, placing his hand on the small of Blair's back, left bare by her black dress.

She stiffened, unable to relax when he was touching her so familiarly. The song that was playing seemed to have its own heartbeat, its own heady fragrance.

Blair looked around, offering an uneasy smile to the surrounding board members and reproaching Chuck through her teeth. "Shut it, Basshole, unless you want the board to hear."

He responded by pulling her closer, and she decided to play, letting her warm breath caress Chuck's ear as she whispered to him what she was wearing under her dress.

He cut off her words by dipping her dangerously low. She retaliated by stepping on his foot, keeping perfectly with the rhythm.

They twirled expertly across the floor, their bodies molded to one another. As the timing of the piece quickened, Chuck reached down to wrap Blair's leg across his waist.

"This reminds me of that time in your kitchen," he said, his voice low, "You were sitting on the counter and I was working on getting your sweater off when Nathaniel called."

Blair felt herself grow warm, and it had nothing to do with physical exertion. She pulled her leg down, dragging it back and behind her as Chuck stepped forward. She silently cursed herself for picking such a sexual activity when she'd been so hot and bothered of late.

Before she knew it, Chuck had turned her around so that her back was pressed against her front. Pausing for a moment, he traced his hand along her side, a la Dirty Dancing. Then, he twirled her swiftly, out and then back. On the reverse, she purposely threw her weight so that she'd crash back into his chest.

He let out a gentle, "Omph", but continued their dance. They were the ideal partners, equally matched in skill and grace. The board members and their wives had stopped to watch them. The centralized couple, however, remained unaware, too caught up in their banter and matching movements. Blair and Chuck conveyed a subtle sensuality, but it was just enough that their onlookers were admiring rather than scandalized.

They battled for control of the dance, Blair always working to stay one step ahead of her partner. Chuck admonished her, "Sorry, princess, but the man gets to lead."

_We'll see about that._ Blair freed herself from his hold and spun gently away. Once alone, she swayed her hips metrically to the beat. Chuck's eyes were glued to her form, and he knew they were in good company. She looked amazingly sexy, her skirt swirling teasingly around her legs. Bringing her arms up as the music ended, she turned to look at Chuck, beaming in part for having bested him, but also because she did so love to dance.

A grey-haired man came up to place his hand on Chuck's shoulder. "You've got yourself some girl there. You two make a lovely couple." The older gentlemen stared hard into Chuck's eyes. "She seems to have had quite the effect on you. I've seen many men transformed for the love of a fine woman. Keep up the good work, son," and then he walked away, returning to his wife, and kissing her cheek happily as they resumed dancing to the next song.

Blair came back over to him. "Having fun?" she asked, her eyes luminous.

Chuck considered the man's words. How easy it would be to love Blair. Not that she'd let him, even if he could somehow allow himself. No, he'd burned that bridge to ashes. Besides, Blair belonged in the sun, shinning with someone like Nate. Chuck spent too much time hiding in darkness; they'd never make it work.

He conjured up a brave smile. "You know how I love to watch," he bantered.

She stuck her tongue out at him, and backed up on to the dance floor, curling her finger for him to follow. He did; of course he did.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Gossip Girl Blast

9:47am EST

Morning all! For those of you who skipped breakfast in favor of a bed and a hangover cure, chew on this…

Spotted: Blair Waldorf exiting Barney's with a La Perla bag. Hot date, B? We'd know that logo anywhere. They say curiosity killed the cat. Good thing I've got nine lives, because this feline is dying to know who the lucky guy is. We bet we're not the only ones. Poor C, you never know a good thing until it's going out with someone else.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Nathanial Archibald never thought he'd see the day when his best friend would forgo partying with the boys to stay home and study. Chuck Bass had never struck him as the studious type, and honestly, Nate liked it that way. He could always couldn't on Chuck to provide a few laughs, a few drinks, and an easy-going atmosphere. Whenever Nate felt stressed out about his family or school, or girls, well, up until recently there had only been one girl, he would head over to the Bass residence of the moment.

In fact, earlier that day, when Chuck had begged out of plans for the evening, saying he needed to cram for a Biology exam, Nate was sure that due to a crappy cell connection, he had misheard.

That's why, when he turned up at his buddy's house at 7:30 on Saturday night to find Chuck sitting at his desk surrounded by text books and study guides, his mouth popped open in shock.

"You've gotta be kidding me," Nate deadpanned, looking for an explanation.

Chuck turned around in his chair at his friend's entrance.

"Oh, Nathanial, it's you. What's up? You still going out tonight? I wish I could join you, but I'm totally swamped. Rain check, though?" Chuck asked before turning back around.

"Ugh, sure thing. I'll give you a call," Nate turned to go.

"You know, I'm pretty sure I heard Shane Templeton talking in the locker room about taking Blair out tonight." Nate wanted to see if it was true, but even more so, he wanted to see if this bizarre-o world Chuck would have a reaction to the news.

"Yeah, I know." Chuck's voice was tight. "There going to dinner at Arabelle."

"And you don't mind?" Nate pressed, he had been wondering about the relationship between his best friend and his ex a lot lately. He knew they'd had a bit of a falling out after the brunch Blair had arranged, but he'd seen them around school looking affable, almost intimate.

"Even if I did, it's not like I could stop her," Chuck responded, working to keep the bitterness out of his voice. "How's Brooklyn girl?" he asked, trying to change the subject.

It worked; Nate stiffened a little but replied calmly enough, "Fine. Things are a little…complicated. You know, there was that whole thing with Katherine and then the mess with Jenny. I think she's got some...trust issues. Plus she's got this crazy idea that I've still got feeling for Blair."

Chuck's eyes brightened a little at the mention of her name. "Well, do you?" He tried to keep his tone light and uninterested. In actuality, a reunion between the former couple was his worst nightmare.

"No. No of course not." Chuck let himself relax. "I mean, I saw her in school the other day," Nate continued, "and we talked for a little while and it was kind of nice, easy. Things with Blair always felt really easy. With Vanessa, I feel like I'm constantly in the wrong place at the wrong time. I can't relax. Plus, I don't know if you've noticed, but Blair's been looking really hot lately." Nate was smiling like an idiot.

Chuck pressed his tongue behind his teeth and gave Nate a half-hearted nod of agreement. Of course he'd noticed, but then again, he always noticed Blair. This new look of her's must really be working if even Nate was considering reconciliation. Chuck swallowed to relieve some of the tension in his throat.

"So…have fun tonight," Chuck said awkwardly.

Nate laughed. "Are you trying to get rid of me?" he chided.

"Of course not!" Chuck covered quickly. "It's just that, I should probably get back to this," he gestured to the materials on his desk, eager to end the conversation.

"I though we might…" Nate made a smoking gesture, bringing his thumb and index finger together at his mouth.

"Can't," Chuck reminded. "I promised Blair, no drugs."

"Oh yeah, cold turkey, right? Ouch. How'd she get you to agree to that?"

"She's doing me a favor actually," Chuck avoided the question.

Nate looked skeptical.

Chuck really wanted to avoid hashing out the details, luckily Nate's phone rang, saving him from elaborating.

Nate picked up and mouthed to Chuck that Vanessa was on the line. He then waved goodbye and headed for the door.

Not wanting Blair to be the last thing they discussed, Chuck added, "Give my regards to Vanessa."

"Will do," Nate smiled. "Good luck studying."

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"This Can't Be Love?" Shane Templeton asked, frowning over his dinner plate.

"No," Blair sighed, looking at her watch under the table. "Anyways, that was _Katherine_ Hepburn."

"Oh, yeah," he muttered unhappily. "I give up."

"It's Breakfast at Tiffany's," Blair responded. She took a long sip of her wine and looked for the waiter.

"Duh," Shane slapped his forehead. "You know, I think I heard somewhere that you liked that one."

Blair tried to smile reassuringly, but it was just too hard. So far, this date had been agonizing. Normally, she would have left by now, but she couldn't stand the thought of Chuck being right about this guy.

Although, if she was being honest, they'd run out of things to say to each other even before the salads arrived, and Shane had just spent twenty minutes trying to guess her favorite movie. Every time she'd tried to end his misery by telling him, he had protested.

Unfortunately, that wasn't the worst of it. The night had started off with Shane coming to pick her up in his obnoxious, bright yellow, Porsche. He'd bragged about the car's speed and smooth ride, but sadly they hadn't been able to enjoy either due to the driver's incompetence at driving a stick shift. The trip to the restaurant had been so filled with skids and sudden stops they hadn't gotten in much talk.

At the restaurant, the food was good, but Blair quickly lost her appetite when she noticed that Shane made a little humming sound every time he ate something, 'hmmmm, hmmmm, hmmmmmmmm'; it was horrific. She tried to tune it out, and focus on his positive qualities, but she was having trouble concentrating.

_Shane really is very handsome. _She liked the way his hair had a slight curl and his eyes were a pretty celery color. _Maybe he's nervous, and that's why tonight's conversation has been flat. I should make more of an effort. He probably thinks I'm uptight. I should…change the subject, ask him about something he knows. _

"So, you play tennis---," she attempted.

"I heard you were going out with Chuck Bass---," he started at the same time.

She dropped her fork and it clattered against her plate noisily.

"Oh, I'm sorry," she told the server who hurried over to check on them. Once the woman left, Blair cleared her throat.

"No. Chuck and I are friends. We had this…_thing_, but it's over. I'm _very_ single," she stressed. "Actually, I'm kind of taking a break from romance. Following my instincts instead, _casually_," she hinted suggestively, stroking his hand on top of the table.

Shane looked like he'd been struck by lightening. This went against everything he'd ever heard about Blair Waldorf: Ice Bitch, Virgin Queen, Clingy Girlfriend.

"Uh, okay…," he had no idea what to say. Then, bolstering his confidence, he took a deep swallow of the beer he'd ordered (much to Blair's chagrin) and said, "Maybe we should get out of here. We could take my Dad's boat out on the Hudson. It's very _private_." He was grinning at her slimily.

Blair tried to keep from grimacing. She refused to think about Chuck, but she couldn't help hearing his voice in the back of her head.

_What are you doing with this guy? You can't honestly tell me you like him._

_Leave me alone, she pleaded in response. I'm trying to forget you. _

"Let's go," Blair stood up, pushing the voices away, and Shane followed eagerly.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

They were back in his car, driving towards the river. He was blasting some kind of rap music that she assumed was supposed to be sexy. Shane kept stealing glances at her, taking his eyes of the road and making her nervous, in more ways than one.

Blair watched as the traffic thinned, they were reaching the edge of the city. _Last chance to turn back._

Suddenly, Shane was pulling the car over into an empty gas station parking lot.

"Do you need to get something?" she started to ask, but he stopped her with a slobbery kiss.

_YUCK! Ok, relax. He's probably just a slow starter. _

"I couldn't wait," he told her, coming up for air before diving back in with equal vigor.

_Nope, terrible all around. Told ya so, Chuck's voice singsonged._

"Ok, I'm sorry," she said, pushing him away. "This just isn't gonna work."

"Huh?" he looked startled, like a deer in headlights. He'd been giving her some of his best moves.

"I guess I don't feel, _that way_, about you," she tried to explain kindly.

"Yeah," he scoffed, "or maybe your just not _that kind of girl_," he taunted, angry at being rejected.

She let out a gentle laugh. "You know what," she said softly, climbing out of the car and leaning in through the open window, "I think you're right," and with that she walked off, flagging down a cabbie at the street corner and telling him the Van der Woodsen address.

Blair Waldorf wasn't one to waste good lingerie on a bad date.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**A/N: Ah, I know this post is late, but it's also pretty long. I have zero free time at the moment. I keep cutting things out to make room to write. This week it's food. I've stopped eating. Your reviews feed me. Have a heart; don't let me starve. =]**

**Also, I meant no offense to any member of the YMCA. I myself take yoga there whenever I get the chance. Unfortunately, Blair's a bit of a snob. **

**Man, I don't know how you guys are holding up, but I am definitely suffering from GG withdrawal. Fear not gentle reader, I, unlike the writers, will not abandon you. **

**I'll even give you a hint about the next chapter. It involves a scene inspired by an infamous clip in Billy Elliot, which FYI, has been playing nonstop on TNT.**

**Also, I know this story is labeled T, but I'm having trouble keeping Blair and Chuck PG-13. I didn't think I'd ever feel comfortable enough to write a full-fledged sex scene, but you never know! **


	6. Monarch

**A/N: First of all, let me just say that I am a total ditz. I meant to type Billy **_**Madison**_** in my last note, not Billy **_**Elliot**_**. Everyone who read that was probably like, "What the heck is she talking about?" So much for a sneak preview. Anyways, here it is. Hopefully, you'll understand what I was talking about by the end of the post. This was a pretty random source of inspiration but I felt like the concept translated really well for Chair. **

**Also, I've been trying to post for two days but the site's been down. **

**P.S. Reviews make me write faster! **

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chuck had been sitting at his desk, staring at the same sentence in his textbook for about fifteen minutes. He kept rereading the words, but their meaning quickly evaporated. He sighed and ran his hands through his hair. He was having a hard time concentrating.

Blair was out on her date, treating that scum to her smiles; Nate was partying, partaking of all the illegal substances that eluded Chuck, and Serena was with Dan, probably doing that other thing that he was forbidden. He was starting to think he wasn't cut out for this whole reform thing.

That's when he heard the doorbell ring. Lilly and Eric were spending the weekend in the Hamptons, celebrating the unseasonably mild weather, and with Serena gone, he was the only one available to greet their nighttime caller. New York City neighbors weren't exactly the type to request a cup of sugar, so he couldn't image who might arrive unbidden at 9:00pm on a Saturday night.

Needless to say, when he opened the door to reveal a smiling Blair Waldorf, he was pretty sure he'd fallen into a study-induced coma and dreamed her.

"What are you doing here?" he blurted out unintelligibly.

She strolled passed him, ignoring his question and posing her own. "How's the studying going?"

Blair walked toward his bedroom and he followed haphazardly, still thoroughly confused by her presence.

"It's not," he answered bitterly. "What happened to your date?" his voice was now tinged with malice.

"We decided to just be friends," she wasn't looking at him. Instead walking around the room examining his study materials, thrown about in his frustration. She was still wearing her emerald coat and matching pearly hat and glove set.

Chuck held back the grin that threatened to overtake his face. Her date had gone sour in a mere hour and a half, and now she was in his bedroom. "You haven't told me why you're here," he reminded her.

She turned, finally, to face him. "I thought you might need some help preparing for your test". Blair took off her hat and gloves and held them between her hands, but left her coat on. She half expected him to tell her to leave. "I brought flashcards," she gestured to her purse.

"Thanks, but I don't think I'm cut out for this whole studying thing," he told her honestly.

"I thought you might say that," she said, walking over to her bag to retrieve the cards anyway. "That's why I propose we make it interesting".

"What did you have in mind?" he asked doubtfully. Whatever Blair's little learning game was, he was pretty sure it wasn't going to do much good.

She placed her hat and gloves on the bed and walked over to the light switch. Turning the dimmer down, she began to unbutton her coat. "I'll ask you questions, and if you answer correctly," she threw the coat on the bed, "I take off an item of clothing".

Chuck didn't answer right away, simply stared at her. He couldn't help think that this new Blair was leaving him speechless all too often. Finally, he nodded at her and went to sit on the bed.

"There's two rules though," she raised her hands to stop his protests. "One, if you answer incorrectly, the clothes go back on and you have to start from scratch."

Chuck exhaled; this was going to be torture.

"And two," she narrowed her eyes at him playfully, "_no touching_".

Chuck groaned in frustration. She was the devil. He wasn't superhuman.

"Not me," she clarified, "and not yourself. Do we have an agreement?" she was looking at him with a fire in her eyes.

He thought briefly about refusing her. _Could he really endure this agony?_

"Agreed," he got up to shake her hand, holding on a second too long.

She smirked wickedly, having learned from the best, and pushed him back onto he bed.

_Let the games begin._

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Who originated the theory of evolution?" Blair was sitting on his desk again, the same way she had that first night, when they had made the little deal that had started this whole mess. She was still fully clothed, minus the outerwear she'd discarded before the game began. So far he'd fumbled two questions. In all honesty, Chuck couldn't decide what was hurting him more, the fact that his study attempts up until this point had been laughable, or the very unfunny look in Blair's eyes that was daring him to answer correctly.

"Charles Darwin." Chuck knew she was going easy on him. He wanted to win fair and square. "Actually, Darwin's proposal was entitled the _Origin of Species_. The theory of evolution has developed over time due to the combined efforts of various scientists, influenced by Darwin's work."

Blair smiled at his efforts and slipped off one of her high heels. Chuck frowned. _Each shoe counted as one? Bitch. _However, he was no less enthralled. His imagination was working overtime. What kind of underwear was she wearing? Stockings or tights? What would…

Blair fired off the next three questions in quick session, and Chuck watched as she lost her other shoe, headband, and ruby ring.

"List five factors that limit population growth." Blair was having way too much fun. There was no reason that studying with Chuck should be 100 times more entertaining than going out for a five-star dinner with the captain of the tennis team.

_Blair's legs, her collarbone, the freckle on her lower back…_

"Light, temperature, available water, shortage of nutrients, and…" _Shit, what was the last one?_

"…and…." Chuck scrambled for the answer while Blair smirked, ready to start at the very beginning.

"Nesting space!" Chuck grinned triumphantly.

She nodded and slipped off the desk. Walking towards the bed, she came to stand between his legs, not close enough to touch him, but enough that he could smell her perfume. Then she turned around slowly, looking at him over her shoulder. She brought her hands to the hem of her top lifting it slowly to reveal inches of her bare back before bringing her arms up over her head and taking it off. Blair placed the garment on the bed next to him, coming around to face forward.

His eyes moved over her body, hungry and possessive.

Chuck wanted to close his eyes, block out the sight of her in an ornate cream-colored bra, but he couldn't. She was perfect, every inch of her alabaster skin.

Blair was a little embarrassed to have Chuck looking at her so intimately, but even more so, she felt sexy. She could tell by the mixture of pain and pleasure on his face that he liked what he saw. Reaching up to rub her neck lightly, she closed her eyes and let out a little sigh.

"You're not playing fair," Chuck scolded her, feeling a tightening in his abdomen, among other places.

"_All's fair in love and war,_" she sing-songed, walking away from him to stand against the far wall.

_Which is this?_ Chuck wondered.

"Next question," Blair said, bringing him back to the task at hand. "What are the four main types of camouflage used by organisms to prevent predation?"

If there was one thing Chuck Bass understood, it was how to spot prey. "Aposematica, Cryptic, Batesian, and Mullerian," he rattled off easily.

"Not bad, Bass," she commended, unzipping her skirt and stepping out of it.

He had been prepared to retaliate with a biting quip, something about how she shouldn't underestimate him, but then she was standing there in only her lingerie and stockings.

_Since when did Blair Waldorf wear a garter belt. _He wanted her so much, beyond sense and reason.He decided at that moment that any torments this woman instilled upon him, past, present, and future, were worth it. She was a goddess, and he…wasn't allowed to touch her.

Chuck remembered what it was like to have her pressed against him, nothing between them but skin. He remembered how she'd purr in his ear, how she'd whimper to get him to stroke her exactly where she wanted.

"I give up," he said. "I surrender. You win," and he lay back on the bed with his eyes closed, waiting for her to leave and end his misery.

"Chuck Bass," she admonished. "I never took you for a quitter. I'll tell you what," she said, walking over to the bed and kneeling down beside where Chuck lay. "If you get the next one right, I'll let you take off the rest of this," she gestured to herself.

Chuck opened his eyes. "You're pure evil."

Blair laughed and walked back over to her flash cards. "Ready?"

"Just go," he told her sourly.

"What kind of bonds do water molecules form with one another?"

It was the last thing he'd read before Nate came over, the chapter about water. He tried to remember as Blair waited patiently for his reply.

_Bonds, bonds, bonds. What kind of _bonds_ did water form? _He couldn't remember. She was going to put all her clothes back on and walk out. _Shit._

But then, "Hydrogen," he whispered, but loudly enough for her to hear.

On the way home in the limo, Chuck's first day back, Blair had been looking over her Biology notes. He made fun of her because she kept accidentally saying things out loud to herself.

"_Water forms hydrogen bonds…because…thirsty people need _water_ to _hydrate_." _

She looked at him for a second before turning around to stand in front of the window. The shades were drawn but patches of moonlight leaked through, illuminating her softly.

Chuck crossed to her swiftly. Tracing his fingertip down her spine, he turned her around to softly trace the outline of her lips. She tensed a little as he kissed her, but in anticipation.

His hands reached up, sliding the straps of her bra off with his thumbs before coming to rest at the hook. Blair took a deep breath. This was it.

Then her phone rang.

She was fully prepared to ignore it, but it was the ring she'd set for Serena. The girls had made a promise after renewing their friendship, never to ignore one another's calls.

"I'm so sorry," Blair said. "Just give me one second."

"S?" she spoke into her cell.

"Wait, what? What happened?"

"No, I'm not still out with Shane." Blair avoided meeting Chuck's questioning gaze.

"Sure. I could come over."

"Okay, see you soon." She closed the phone and finally looked at Chuck.

"Serena and Dan just broke up. Again. She's really upset. Apparently, Humphrey decided he's in love with Vanessa," She told Chuck, the words disdainful.

"What about Nate?" He asked.

"I don't know. I don't think Vanessa even knows about it yet."

"Jesus," he sighed. "Is Serena gonna be okay?"

"I don't know," Blair said honestly. "She's on her way here now. I'd better get dressed," she finished awkwardly.

"Oh yeah, right. I'll ummm…I think I'll go get something to eat from the kitchen. I skipped dinner. Maybe I'll throw on a few grilled cheeses. They're Serena's favorite, right?"

"Yeah," Blair answered nervously, and then, "You can cook?"

"Sure, how hard can it be," He gave her a light smile and then walked out, shutting the door to give her some privacy.

The universe just couldn't seem to cut him a break.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

When Serena arrived in the apartment, she found Chuck at the stove and Blair sitting primly in the living room, flipping through television channels. It was more than a little weird to see them, together under the same roof and yet seemingly so distant.

She'd let herself cry a little on the cab way over. She was sad, hurt by Dan's betrayal, but most of all she was angry with herself for having gotten involved with him again after things had ended badly twice before.

When Blair heard her come in, the brunette sprung to her feet and hurried to hug her friend, and Serena couldn't help but let the ready tears flow again.

"That's it. Humphrey is chop liver," the smaller girl announced into Serena's hair, making her laugh despite herself.

"I'm serious," Blair told her. "He'd better be ready for the sequel to the Blair-Bitch Project. I've taken down more worthy competitors in the past."

Chuck flipped the sandwiches he was cooking, feeling strangely protective of his stepsister and agreeing with Blair that the boy needed to be taught a lesson. Hearing the grilled cheese sizzle, he though perhaps something involving hot oil.

"No, really," Serena protested. "It's as much my fault as his. I never should have gotten involved with him again. He hurt me before, and I, well, I just set myself up for heartache and disappointment."

Both Blair and Chuck noticed the parallels between Serena and Dan's relationship and their own.

"Food's ready," Chuck called.

"Chuck can cook?" Serena questioned.

Blair nodded. "Grilled cheese. Believe me, I was just as surprised as you," she steered her friend toward the kitchen.

Once seated, Chuck distributed the sandwiches and they all sat to eat.

"This is actually really good," Serena announced after taking a few tentative bites.

"I'll take that as a compliment," Chuck muttered.

They ate in silence for a few minutes, not wanting to ruin the meal with talk of what happened.

Finally, Blair decided to speak. "Do you wanna talk about it?" she asked carefully.

Serena shook her head. "Anything but. How was your date?"

Blair tried not to notice the intent Chuck was paying to her answer. "Not great," she said simply, obviously not willing to go further

"Oh," Serena swallowed. "Chuck, I thought you were going out with Nate."

Chuck looked at his plate. "I decided to stay home and _study._" At the last word he winked at Blair, making sure Serena was preoccupied with her food.

Blair was struck by a coughing fit as she kicked Chuck under the table.

Serena looked between the two of them and scrunched her eyebrows in confusion. "That's probably for the best," she continued anyway. "I know those guys like to party pretty hard. How's the detox going, by the way?"

"It's not so bad," he told her, "I mean, every now and then I crave a drink, but it hasn't been terrible, I've found new ways to amuse myself."

Oblivious to the devious look he shot at Blair, Serena smiled. "Jeeze, you're stronger than me. When I gave up cigarettes, every time I saw someone light up on the street I wanted to stick my tongue down their throat just to taste the smoke, and what about the no-sex thing? It's been, what, two, three weeks? You must be freaking out."

"I'm…adjusting." Chuck was looking at Blair who was looking at the ceiling.

"I can't imagine what that must be like." Serena bit her lip, "but I guess now, I won't have to," she said unhappily. "Are there more of these?" she pointed to her empty plate.

"On the stove," Chuck told her. He knew misery loved company; maybe the same was true of abstinence. He hoped the rest of this month went by soon, at this rate the entire city would be celibate by summer.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

_Gossip Girl Blast_

_12:02am _

_This just in, and we can't say were surprised, looks like S and Lonely Boy have called it quits once again. Take it from us, an onagain/offagain romance is like when you're young and you parents take you to the amusement park. You fill up on all of the cotton candy and ice cream and adrenaline, riding every rollercoaster thirty times until they tell you it's time to go home. You beg to be allowed to stay. You'll do anything; you'll be so good. So, they let you, but pretty soon, everything doesn't feel so fun anymore. Your feet are tired and your tummy hurts. You start to cry, and your mother leans down and says, "When are you gonna learn, enough is enough."_

_You know you love me. XOXO_

_------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_


	7. I Will Follow You Into The Dark

**First of all, I want to apologize to, you the reader, since this update is longlonglong overdue. I don't have any good excuses; sometimes life just gets in the way. This chapter is mostly a good-faith teaser, a promise that I haven't deserted this story (and all of you!). I'm graduating in a month and then I foresee a summer full of Chair. I've even started brainstorming for my second story, which elaborates on the Royalty theme seen here. A million thanks (and love and cookies and puppies) to all of you who still bother to read (and review!). **

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"_You, if you were sensible,_

_When I tell you the stars flash signals, each one dreadful,_

_You would not turn and answer me_

'_The night is wonderful.'"_

_---D.H. Lawrence_

"In 1525, as Henry grew more impatient, he became enamored with a charismatic young woman in the Queen's entourage, Anne Boleyn. Anne at first resisted his attempts to seduce her, and refused to become his mistress as her sister Mary Boleyn had. She said 'I beseech your highness most earnestly to desist, and to this my answer in good part. I would rather lose my life than my honesty.' This refusal made Henry even more attracted, and he pursued her relentlessly." Dr. Radcliff droned.

Blair was sitting in AP Euro, ignoring the fact that Penelope was obviously trying to catch her eye by pretending to listen to the lecture on the Tudors. Although, personally, she felt she could learn everything worth knowing by watching Jonathan Rhys Meyers on _Showtime_. Penelope coughed obnoxiously in an effort to draw her attention, but Blair simply inched further forward in her seat, resting her chin in her hands; the leech was looking for dirt. Over the past couple of days, the Dan-Serena breakup had made history by remaining uncharacteristically under the radar. Facts about the couple's demise were almost impossible to come by, and for some reason Penelope seemed to think Blair might want to reclaim her Queen Bee status by dishing details. _Former minions_, Blair mentally shook her head, _they were so pathetically clueless_. So far, she'd kept to her original dinner declaration, swearing off the girls of the steps, and honestly she didn't miss them. With Serena for company, and Chuck for entertainment, her social life remained first class; she was simply carrying less baggage. Besides, if she really wanted someone to do her bidding, there was always Jenny Humphrey.

On the subject of Humphries, it had been less than a week since she'd left her best friend's apartment, her stomach full of grilled cheese and her heart heavy with borrowed grief and phantom pain. Watching Serena suffer had dragged up feelings Blair had worked so hard to bury. Rather than analyze her emotions, she'd taken, once again, to avoiding Chuck. Trying to distract both S and herself, she arranged a whirlwind agenda full of shopping excursions, club openings, and various charity events. Yet her efforts had only been partially successful. She discovered she had a talent for evasion, but staying away from Chuck seemed to further dampen her spirits rather than revive them. Sure, she smiled for Serena's sake, because one of them had to be strong and it was definitely her turn, but after seven days without an impious smile or double-entendre her resolve was wavering. She was tired of trying to stay away from him.

"At 8 a.m. on May 19, 1536, the queen was executed on Tower Green. She knelt upright, in the French style of executions. The death sentence was carried out swiftly and consisted of a single stroke," the teacher's voice broke through Blair's mental dialogue.

Penelope wrinkled her nose in distaste and exclaimed, "How dreadful. They shared a burning, passionate love, and when it was over he had her head chopped off."

Blair raised her hand, "Maybe its better that way, she didn't have to live with the pain of rejection."

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chuck was at his locker when he saw her coming out of her history classroom talking to Nate, her hand on his arm. Chuck swallowed uncomfortably at their intimate contact. He'd been sneaking around the apartment lately, avoiding Blair since their awkward last meal. So far, he'd been wildly successful. Perhaps, if this whole thing with the board went down the drain, he would consider a career in espionage. After all, he looked damn good in a fedora, but it wasn't just great accessories that had him contemplating a life in mysterious solitude.

Watching that Brooklynite destroy Serena had reinforced his suspicions that rekindled romances often went sour. No matter how hard she tried to pretend otherwise, Chuck knew things with Blair had been escalating lately. Spending the past few weeks with her had been fantastic, even when she made him suffer, but getting close to her again was dangerous for both of them. He knew that if they hadn't been interrupted by Serena's phone call, things in his bedroom would have progressed, maybe too far. It wasn't that he didn't want to sleep with Blair. Hell, he got hard just watching her mouth move, but what if they regretted it afterwards? He couldn't stand it if he lost her all over again.

Despite her new "sex a la carte" attitude, he doubted either of them would be able to walk away the morning after acting like nothing had changed. Even scarier was the thought that maybe _she_ could. If they weren't a couple, he'd have to continue watching her date other guys, and his last conversation with Nate had left him particularly unsettled. _What if dear Nathanial decided he wanted to rebound with his ex? What if Blair let him?!_ Humphrey's repressed love was a ticking time bomb, and Chuck had few doubts that Punky Brewster would refuse her girlhood dream hunk. Nathanial could be back on the market at any moment. He ground his teeth together as he continued to observe their exchange. When it was over, Nate kissed her cheek in parting.

She was heading toward him, which meant that if he wanted to remain incognito he should amscray (see, he already had the private eye lingo down pat), but God, he missed her. He could forgo drugs and drink without much struggle. Blair Waldorf was his addiction. His very worst vice, it was her absence that left him shaking and sweaty, and not in the good way. Chuck was surprised when she caught his eye and held his gaze. He cocked his head questioningly and she strolled closer.

"Plotting you're next conquest?" he asked, gesturing to Nate's retreating back and trying to keep the twinge of jealousy out of his tone.

Blair followed the line of his eyes and let out a little laugh, "Hardly."

An awkward silence loomed.

Chuck decided to nip the problem in the bud.

"I haven't heard from you in a few days. I was beginning to think you'd abandoned your tutelage," he accused her, knowing full well the avoidance had his doing.

"I've just been busy planning the final stages" she fibbed easily. "Besides, it's only been three weeks, Bass. I hope you didn't think you were going to get off easy," she smiled iniquitously.

"On the contrary, Waldorf. Make me work for it," he leered, leaning in to invade her personal space.

"You're vile," she complained, shoving him away but grinning despite herself.

"And you've missed me," he shut his locker and took her books from her arms.

She rolled her eyes at the gesture, but let him walk her outside.

"_Please_," Blair scoffed.

"I love it when you beg me," he brought his hand to his heart and looked heavenward.

"In your dreams," she sneered, letting him open the door to his limo for her.

"Every night," he agreed, sliding his tongue behind his teeth suggestively before joining her in the back seat.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Gossip Girl Post

3:15pm

_You know they say, where there's smoke, there's fire, but on the UES, it hard to recognize a false alarm. So what's the deal? With the ashes of S and D's relationship still smoldering, are two more notorious former flames reigniting their passion, or merely blowing off steam? We know C has always carried a torch for B, but has her recent romance with a certain tennis star left him heated? Careful B, playing with matches, a girl can get burned. _

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


	8. Far Away

**A/N: I beg a thousand pardons for being so slow to update. Sometimes life just gets in the way. I hope all is well in reader-land! Here's some C and B to *****fingers crossed***** brighten your corner of the world. **

* * *

"You can't stay holed-up in here for another minute! Look what happened to Elizabeth Taylor, she took one step out of the lime-light and everything went straight down hill," Blair told the pillow covering her best friend Serena's blonde head.

"Bee, go without me. I don't feel like combating the gossip hounds. Seriously, I will be fine," the pillow answered.

Blair was standing in her best friend's bedroom dressed to go out. Honestly, she had impure motives for getting Serena away from the bed and into a car. The idea of attending the Bass Industries charity gala without Serena held very little appeal. Left to her own defenses, Blair usually made a mess of things, and in true Waldorf fashion, her messes tended to be extravagant.

"But what about your new Galliano?," Blair prompted, knowing that if anything would persuade Serena, a fabulous dress would.

Serena sat up and looked forlornly towards her closet for a moment before shaking her head. It just wasn't worth it. She hugged her pillow to her chest and studied Blair.

The petite girl stood well over her normal 5'5" in chocolate brown heels that contrasted beautifully with her white dress. Blair's hair was tied back in a loose knot. Serena thought that her friend looked stunning but she, Blair, seemed so unsure. Serena knew that Blair felt uneasy about spending time with Chuck. The former flames had hatched their latest deal on a slippery slope. If things went wrong this time, Serena wasn't sure that the couple could survive it, but something had changed in Chuck that made Serena think that they stood a chance.

"You'll be fine too you know," she told Blair, getting up to give her friend a hug. Not many people ever saw the vulnerable side of Blair Waldorf but Serena knew how easily Blair got her heart broken. "Everything will turn out all right," she promised, and she didn't just mean tonight.

* * *

Chuck needed a stiff drink. The ballroom teamed with important executives. A few of them offered him shaky smiles of reassurance, but most of them looked at him skeptically, wondering if he would fail. This evening was a test. Investors and employees alike waited to see if he would embarrass himself, wondering if boozing, womanizing Chuck Bass had finally changed.

The jazz orchestra onstage picked up their instruments and began to play. Couples took to the dance floor, pairing off all around him.

His custom-made suit felt too tight. His eyes searched frantically for a familiar face. He recognized the older gentleman from Blair's dance class at the Plaza walking towards him.

"Nervous son?" he inquired of Chuck, coming closer and holding a sifter or brandy that Chuck wanted to dive into.

Chuck looked into the man's kind face, a face that held trust and optimism. He wondered bitterly if his father's face had ever looked at him with such happy faith. _What would Bart Bass say if he were here now? _

"Maybe a little," he admitted, craning his neck and continuing to look for Blair. He refused to believe that she would abandon him, not after everything they had gone through these past few week, not now.

"Looking for someone" the man smiled, "Your pretty dance partner?" he prompted. "Don't tell me you've lost her." He looked genuinely concerned.

Chuck stomach sunk. _Had he lost Blair?_ He looked at his perfectly polished shoes. Lord knew he deserved to.

He raised his eyes to the entrance hall and broke into his signature smirk. Chuck Bass had at least one thing going for him that night, a date who looked like an angel.

"Actually," Chuck raised a casual hand towards the door, "I've just found her. If you'll excuse me?"

The old man's face brightened into a grin. "Of course, you mustn't leave the lady waiting," he cheered towards Chucks retreating form.

Blair looked around the crowded dance floor, searching uncertainly for Chuck, but there he was, her dark knight. God, he was gorgeous.

She breathed out loudly, "You look so se-... um, you look great," she faltered briefly.

He smirked evilly at her.

"Sorry, I'm late," she told him. "It took me forever to get here."

He swept her into his embrace, leading her into a dance. He looked down at her. Nobody made him as happy as Blair.

"I know exactly what you mean," he whispered drawing her close.

* * *

The evening flew by in a swirl of silk and champagne.

Chuck wanted to stay on the dance floor with Blair in his arms but she convinced him that he needed to mingle. He hated hobnobbing, but proving to these people that he had changed felt heady. He watched investors eyes widen when he refused their offers of aged brandy, saw society wives blush at his finely played compliments, and reveled as he impressed the room at large with his knowledge of the market and plans for the future.

Blair played the room like a professional, laughing at jokes that were not funny and gushing over pictures of babies that were not cute. Every so often, Chuck look over at her and she would roll her eyes and smile at him encouragingly.

As the gala came to a close, Bart's former Vice President took the stage and brought the room to attention. The older man had a stern look about him. He had never approved of the boss' boozing, womanizing son, but even he had to admit that a change had taken place in Charles Bass.

"Thank you all for coming tonight. As you know, this has been a very difficult time for Bass Industries. Bart Bass' passing was a tremendous blow to this corporation. I believe that the company will never be the same," he paused to wipe his brow with a silk handkerchief.

Chuck swallowed dryly in his seat.

"For a while, I thought that we would never make it. But now we have the chance to embrace innovation, to look this dangerous market in the eye and stare it down. There is a young man here this evening who I believe can help us do that. A young man that seems to me," he gave Chuck a tight smile, "to be irreversibly altered. Ladies and Gentlemen, the heir to Bass Industries and, assuming I am not mistaken, our up and coming C.E.O, Charles Bartholomew Bass."

The room broke into applause. Chuck smiled uneasily as hands reached out to shake his and arms descended on his back. He looked across the room at Blair. She gave him a look to say, "Who knew?" and then broke into a grin that left Chuck momentarily breathless. She motioned to the stage, reminding him that his name had just been called.

Chuck rose awkwardly and approached the podium. He shook the VP's hand and cleared his throat before stepping up to the microphone.

"Uh, I'm very glad to be able to join you all this evening," he said nervously. "If my father were here he'd tell me I look like an idiot with this ascot on," Chuck laughed and fingered his purple tie.

The crowd tittered briefly and then fell so silent that Chuck could once more hear his breath reverberate through the speakers.

"But um, there are lot of other things about me this evening, that I think…I hope my father would be proud of. You see, I spent my whole life up until this point trying to get my father's attention, and well, that didn't go over very well," he smiled sadly.

"I didn't figure out until it was too late, that what my father really wanted was for me to take responsibility for my actions, to realize what was really important. I wish that I had learned these lessons before my father died, not after he was gone, but I think the best thing I can do now, is try to live up to his legacy. And that way, I can finally give him what he always wanted, a son he could be proud of. Thank you," Chuck stepped slowly away from the microphone, and when he looked out into the audience at Blair for what seemed like the thousandth time that night, he saw that there were tears in her eyes.

The room remained eerily silent for a moment before the room broke out in thunderous applause. People got up out of their seats to look at Chuck Bass, but he only had eyes for Blair.

* * *

"I think it worked," Blair smiled, walking into her apartment behind Chuck. She slid off her pumps and massaged the souls of her stockinged feet. They had danced, and ate, and charmed Bart's associates, and danced some more.

"I'm glad," Chuck said softly, watching her.

"Except that chatty Bennett guy spilt wine on my dress," she pouted, looking at the developing stain.

"You distracted him, no doubt," he agreed, coming close to examine the damage.

"Dorota will be gone until morning," she pouted.

Chuck shrugged, "I could soak it for you if you'd like."

Blair raised her eyes skeptically, "Since when does Chuck Bass know about household remedies?"

"I used to sleep with the home-ec teacher," he chuckled fondly.

"Ugh," Blair scoffed, whacking him on the arm and walking into the kitchen.

He followed her. Moonlight spilt in through the large bay window, casting shadows on her skin.

Chuck turned on the faucet and waited for the water to warm. He stared at her expectantly.

"What?" she demanded after a few intense moments.

"Well, I can't treat your dress if you're still wearing it, Waldorf."

"Oh," Blair said uncertainly, "Okay," and she moved her fingers to her hem hesitantly.

She averted her gaze, staring at the floor as she handed her dress to Chuck. He wanted to be a gentleman, to look away and respect her privacy, but some things never change.

Chuck watched as her silk slip came into view, lilac and lace trimmed. He studied the curve of her breast, the lines of her legs in her stilettos. Her hair had come loose from her coiffure and hung prettily around her face.

This was torture. She was killing him. Again.

Blair handed him the dress. He didn't know what to say so he said, "Thanks."

"Do you want to know my favorite thing about you?" he said, stopping a few feet from her.

She let out a little nervous laugh. "I'm so afraid that you're about to say something completely awful."

"You're an adventure. I never know if you're going to kiss me or kill me. I live in this constant state of blissful agony, wondering what you'll do next. I think that's why…It's one of the reasons why…I love you".

Blair stared at him for a moment, barely breathing. She shook her head left and right very slightly as if to clear it, then walked closer. She walked until she was standing right in front of him and Chuck wondered if she might slap him.

Slowly, she brought her hands up to rest on either side of his face. She looked into his eyes and they each felt all of the violence and passion of their relationship between them. The weight of what he had said seemed to hang in the silence, and then she closed her eyes and kissed him.

For a moment he just stood there in shock. He had just said 'I love you' for the first time in his life and now the object of his affection was kissing him in a way so sweet he had never known that it even existed. Chuck's hands slid into her hair, drawing her closer.

At his movement, Blair's heartbeat picked up and she intensified the kiss, lifting up on to her toes as she tried to bring herself closer to him.

His hands trailed down to her waist until one pressed against her lower back and she whimpered, wanting, needing more.

"Blair, wait," he said, pulling back, but she wouldn't let him, wouldn't look him in the eye.

"Please," she said, placing feather-light kisses along his jaw-bone and breathing hotly against his ear.

Chuck didn't understand what was happening. Everything was happening so suddenly, but then she was stepping back and out of her slip.

He closed his eyes and exhaled through his nostrils. She showed no mercy.

"What about the bet," he asked, eyes still closed, "its only been three weeks."

Blair closed the distance between them running her hand down his abdomen and towards his…

Chuck grabbed her wrists and tried to get her to look at him. When she finally did her gaze was unsteady and unsure, but her words rang softly, "I don't care."

He wondered why she looked sad, why she was shaking slightly, why…but then she was unzipping his pants and Chuck forgot what words were.

Blair Waldorf might very well bring about his destruction, right here on her kitchen counter, but what a way to go.


End file.
